1 Peter 1:23

Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.

Everyone needs the life game changer, a chance to start over by being born again and being able to walk away from the past.  How many times have we tried to make good but don’t seem to have the edge we need to make it stick.  We don’t know that until we are born again of new seed that when sown will germinate and not die in the soil but grow.  Without God, we cannot break out of the sin, sickness, and death that reigns over us.  Through the word of God, we become over comers and incorruptible all by choosing to change on the inside.

If you want to be born again and don’t know what to say to invite Jesus into you heart, I have posted a prayer under the Word of God tab.

Romans 12:1-2

I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

“Reasonable service?” “Transformed by the renewing of your mind,” Sometimes I feel two lines work together they are just written farther apart.  To present my body as a living sacrifice into that which is holy, I need to renew my mind.  I can’t do it on my own, and it wouldn’t seem reasonable for me to try until I fill myself with the word of God.  Until I understand all that is possible with God for me in His word I will never be willing to give service to Him.  On the other side of that if I don’t renew my mind with the word I will always have the longing for the deeper relationship so “that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Philippians 4:19

My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

I spent many years struggling until I became born again and turned my life over to Jesus.  The feeling that I was alone and no one to turn to would feel like a huge burden.  Then, I read His word, and I will admit I was angry for a time wondering why no one had told me of this truth before.  I had a God who wanted to help me with all my needs.  Not just on Sunday, not just if I begged long enough.  He does it by Christ Jesus and according to His riches in glory.  I think that sometimes we need to think more extensive than we see.  I think we need to believe bigger than we feel.  I think we need to trust more than ourselves.

Ephesians 4:26-27

Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

I never thought I could be angry and not sin, which means that if I make choices in anger, it depends on how far I let that anger go.  Pastor Monte always says, “Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay and take you farther than you want to go.”  If I choose the road of anger, I give place to the devil, and I narrow my choices.  I hem myself into a path that if I had let the anger go, I would never have taken.  What do I value most is peace and freedom within the boundaries of scripture teaching.  Don’t get caught up on the word boundaries, because if I truly know what Jesus has written about my life and His plans for me than I know, they are for good.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Sometimes the mind doesn’t want to shut off on a problem or a hurt.  Reasoning believes worry is the best way to fix a problem.  It isn’t, and concerns never walk a path to faith.  How much more to the personal good would be accomplished in peace than fear?  How big is our God that He already knows and tells you ahead of time what to focus on?  You have a part to play, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”  When God says, you can do something you can.  Peace.

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

When I first started reading my bible, this one line was very complicated to understand.  I had never thought of faith as a substance or evidence.  Now, I know that it is pivotal to my believing and speaking the word.  When I think about it, I do this every day.  I believe the gas I put in my car will make it run.  Simple right!  Why do I think that?  Because I have learned that gas powers a vehicle.  More complex and more extended in existence than a car is the Bible.  I need to learn how to apply the power of the word to fuel my life.

Colossians 2:13

And you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made a live together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.

The magnitude of a God that can wipe out all record of my debt (sin) and choose me to still work on His behalf is a gift that I cannot probably comprehend or fully understand until I have stepped over to be with Jesus.  A love like that makes we want to go deeper with Him.  “God made a live together with him,” to bring us closer, to aid us in our sorrows, to bring us peace.  He didn’t have to, but He wanted to.  I think a shout of Praise is good right now.

Romans 12:14-17

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.  Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.  Never be wise in your own sight.  Repay no one evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.

My spirit rejoices in this verse, and my flesh wants to turn up its nose.  My flesh will have issues when someone cuts me off on the road or doesn’t wait their turn or says something mean.  Now, I know I will feel better if I do this first because if I don’t the problem can get more significant than it needs to be.  Will it make me happy to dwell on it? No.  I prefer to have peace in my life, and that comes with choices and some days I make better decisions than others.  I remind myself that it comes down to cost of time, energy and happiness and I am at the age, I don’t want to waste any of these resources if I don’t have too.

Colossians 1:10

We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

Three lines.  The power in the above three lines is simple yet a complete statement of the will of God for our lives.  What does He want us to have?  Knowledge of His will with wisdom and understanding so we may live a life that pleases Him.  So, we can what?  Bear fruit in every good work and if I bear fruit than I am producing something and fulfilling my calling here on earth. At the end of the day, when I lay down to sleep, I don’t want to feel my time has been wasted.  As I bear fruit I grow in the knowledge of God and knowledge is power for a better life.

Proverbs 1: 23

Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings.

Some things that I have learned about God’s correction from experience is that He always means it for my good.  When He reaches down from on high and guides me away from trouble and danger, I know that I am loved.  Is it not what a father should do for their children?  Now, this is when I need to press in and listen to the teaching He has for me.  I need to grasp where I went wrong, so I don’t repeat it.  The old me doesn’t want to have to change. The new me has a spirit that needs to learn and kept teachable as I progress with Christ.